On this day June 27 1980, the soundtrack for Xanadu was released, featuring Olivia Newton John and the Electric Light Orchestra. While the film itself received mixed reviews, the music became a massive hit and outshined the movie in popularity.
The soundtrack reached number four on the Billboard album chart in the United States and sold over two million copies nationwide. Internationally, it topped the charts in Australia, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. With a mix of pop, disco, and orchestral rock, it perfectly captured the sound and mood of the time.
80s insight: Xanadu may have stumbled at the box office, but its soundtrack proved that in the 80s, the music could take on a life of its own and become a cultural landmark all by itself.
The soundtrack reached number four on the Billboard album chart in the United States and sold over two million copies nationwide. Internationally, it topped the charts in Australia, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. With a mix of pop, disco, and orchestral rock, it perfectly captured the sound and mood of the time.
80s insight: Xanadu may have stumbled at the box office, but its soundtrack proved that in the 80s, the music could take on a life of its own and become a cultural landmark all by itself.
